Description
From the 11th to the 18th century, this tower protected the monastic community. An exceptional site that combines heritage and spirituality.
The fortified monastery of Saint-Honorat was built in three phases over more than three centuries. To protect themselves from attacks by groups of Saracens coming from Spain, the monks began building their first refuge tower in 1101. Throughout the 12th century, the popes encouraged the faithful to participate in its construction, completion, and defense. In the 14th century, this fortress became the center of monastic life, as evidenced by the transfer of the relics of St. Honorat to the Sainte-Croix Chapel in 1391. Beginning in the 17th century, the upper floors were reserved for soldiers sent to defend the coast on the orders of the King of France. Today, 21 monks from the monastic community of the Cistercian Congregation of the Immaculate Conception live on the island. They have been cultivating their vineyard there since the Middle Ages.
Saint-Honorat Island is home to two of the last cannonball furnaces, built in 1794 on the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte.
